


Safety Comes at a Cost

by TheBella



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: "SpaceDad", Angst, Dark Shiro (Voltron), Protective Shiro (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-27 11:09:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15684231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBella/pseuds/TheBella
Summary: "Shiro, let us out!""You can't keep us here!""Let us help!"Shiro heard their pleas, but he knew he couldn't listen. They wanted to put themselves in danger, again. Shiro's family was safe, and that's all that mattered to him.---Shiro is Captain of the Atlas, the new home of the lions. He's happy his family is finally back on Earth, but they're not safe yet. Every time another robeast appears, they're put in danger. He won't let his family get hurt ever again. He is going to make sure they're safe.





	Safety Comes at a Cost

**Author's Note:**

> My first Voltron work. All I can say is what a crazy season.

"Shiro, let us out!" 

 

"You can't keep us here!"

 

"Let us help!" 

 

Shiro heard their pleas, but he knew he couldn't listen. They wanted to put themselves in danger, again. Last time was too close a call. 

 

Since that first robeast appeared, it had been a few months until the next one reared its ugly head. Once again, the Paladins were pushed into a corner. Only this time they couldn't seem to pull through. Luckily, the Atlas was there to help them, to save them, to keep them safe. 

 

And now Shiro realized the Atlas might not make it in time one day. The Paladins were headstrong children. His children. He couldn't bear to think the reason they got hurt was because he allowed them to be rash and act without him there.

 

It was simple really. Sam became the leader of the Garrison after a unanimous vote as to who should replace Sanda. It was easy to tell Sam all of the horrible things that happened in space, recount how terrified everyone was, especially his daughter. Shiro may have embellished the truth a bit. 

 

Sam believed him. Why would Takashi Shirogane lie? That was that. He had the green light to do as he saw fit to protect the Paladins. His family would be safe. 

 

The lions were stored in the Atlas as usual after a training simulation. The Paladins were all back to their rooms that resided within the same hallway. It made it easier to function and make it through the day when you were close to familiar faces.

 

Then the alarm went off. Something had breached Earth's atmosphere. They were up and about to go when the doors to their rooms wouldn't open. 

 

"Hey guys, can someone help me open my door? I think it's stuck," Lance called. 

 

"Mine too," Keith grunted, already beginning to try and body check the door. 

 

"I don't think any of ours are opening," Hunk said.

 

That was when Shiro arrived. "Are you all okay? I got an alert saying someone was trying to break into Keith's room."

 

"More like break out," Keith grunted. He had taken out his blade and tried to slash the door to shreds.

 

Pidge had just successfully opened the door using her hacker skills when she asked, "Shiro, is something wrong with the Atlas main frame? It looks like our rooms are set to an override lock whenever an enemy or an unknown object enters the atmosphere."

 

"That is correct." Shiro looked down to her with concerned eyes, but something didn't feel right. Keith had finally made an entrance big enough to exit his room. 

 

"What do you mean? Why would they do that? We have to get to our lions."

 

"A little help there buddy?" Lance called out to Keith who began to make his way over to the other paladin's door to slash him out. But before he could, he felt a strong hand on his shoulder. 

 

"I need you all to stay here." Shiro's voice was strong, and left no room for argument. But of course Keith would try anyway. 

 

"We have to help-"

 

"No actually, the Atlas handled the last one just fine. You guys rushed in and almost got yourselves killed. This is the best solution. You'll all stay safe."

 

"While hundreds of others are risking their lives? No way. Come on Pidge, let's open up their doors." Pidge, with laptop in tow, made her way to Hunk's door while Keith went to Lance's. 

 

"If you do that, I won't let you fly the lions period."

 

"What?" Keith and Pidge both looked incredulous, and he could imagine the looks on the other Paladins faces as well. 

 

"If you break them out, and go to your lions, and put yourselves in danger for no reason, you won't be able to fly them again. Not for training, or even to help out with rebuilding. You all need to realize that this is in your best interest."

 

"Shiro, this doesn't make any sense. We need to help," Pidge said. 

 

"And you will be. I'll be able to captain much better knowing you're all safe. Now please, go to your rooms and let the Atlas finish this fight." Keith and Pidge both looked resigned, for they saw the look on Shrio's face. He looked deathly serious. All the other Paladins were shouting through their doors.

 

"Shiro, let us out!" 

 

"You can't keep us here!"

 

"Let us help!" 

 

Shiro approached Lance's room and used his new hand to open the door. He motioned for both Keith and Pidge to enter. Before Pidge could get inside, he confiscated her laptop. He would have to give this to her father so he could make sure she couldn't override the locks again. He'd probably also have to reinforce the doors for Keith.

 

"I'll be back for you all once the fight is finished." He shut the door using his robotic arm. 

 

He left them to their own devices. "This sucks," Lance said forlornly. 

 

"We'll figure out what's going on," Pidge said. 

 

"Or we'll be a little more discreet about our breakout," Keith huffed.

 

\--- 

 

Atlas won the battle of course, and continued to win every battle against any being that came to Earth seeking to hurt Shiro's family. 

 

The Paladins were losing their cool, the robeasts were coming more and more often. If they were ever out of their room when an attack was coming, they were escorted back to their quarters and penned there until the fight was over. They couldn't stand sitting down and feeling the movements of the gigantic robot do their work for them. 

 

They kept trying to find ways out. Pidge was once able to hack all their doors using the same signature as Shiro's hand. No alarms went off, no babysitters to come check on them. They made it to their lions, and just as they were about to lift off the hanger doors sealed shut. "How did he know?" Keith exclaimed.

 

"Paladins," Shiro's face appeared on all of their screens. "Get back to your rooms, we'll talk about this after."

 

"But Shiro," they all whined. 

 

"That's an order cadets." And they all left their lions, that was it. They decided to sit in Allura's room and discuss what they believed would happen next. 

 

"He's not going to let us fly again," Allura said, heartbroken.

 

"I think if we ask for another chance, he'll give it to us. If we promise to never do that again," Hunk said, trying to sound positive then realizing there was truly no way to do that in this situation. 

 

The door to the room opened soon after. The battles between the Atlas and the robeasts were getting faster. The crew was learning. "Fall in line Paladins." It was a nice sight to see his family sitting there together, safe from danger.

 

None of them stood, though. They sat there like petulant children. "I said fall in line cadets." His tone was still calm.

 

Keith was the only one to stand. "Are you joking?" Keith asked incredulously. "We have been listening to everything you've said for the past few months, and now we're done. You can't keep us from helping people." 

 

"But you don't have to anymore, the Atlas can handle it. We can't put you guys in danger anymore than necessary." Shiro looked at them all pleadingly, trying to have them understand. 

 

"We want to help, and we will, no matter what you say!" Keith almost screamed. Shiro had had enough.

 

"Give me your bayard." Keith just gave him a deathly glare. "Now Keith." Keith made his bayard appear, and begrudgingly put in it Shiro's extended hand. "...since you won't be able to form Voltron with all five lions, you might as well all give me your bayards." The Paladins looked on, staring at their leader. 

 

They all stood, and shuffled their way over. One by one, they handed over their bayards. "I'm doing this to protect you all. No more flying the lions."

 

And that was that.

 

\---

 

They decided to give it one more go before they realized it would be pointless. They ran to their lions and before they could even take off, the Atlas had won. The crew had become so advanced they could take down the robeast in one shot. 

 

This was all the evidence Shiro needed to give to assure the rest of the Garrison that Voltron would never be needed. Again. 

 

Sam and Colleen agreed immediately, they didn't need their daughter in anymore danger. Hunk and Lance's families didn't want to see anything happen to their precious boys, and they agreed as well. Coran was a bit on the iffy side, but he eventually came to the conclusion that there was no need to put to princess in anymore danger. He agreed. Krolia and Kolivan were in space, so Shiro more or less had the final decision over Keith.

 

And that was the raven haired boys final straw. He took a hover bike, and went to the shack in the desert. Shiro knew where he was, and generally sent patrols to make sure everything was okay. As long as he was safe, everything was okay. He'd come to his senses eventually and return to the complete safety of the Atlas.

 

Allura began to work with the Alteans that used to be inside the robeasts, with strict supervision of course. She would slowly get bits and pieces about how they came to Earth, what was going through their heads. They said that their creator was getting mad they had to make so many robeasts, and would be furious to know of the strength of the Atlas.

 

Hunk helped with relief on the ground. He worked a lot with Shay in helping to restore people's homes. He would help destroy old Galran bases, of course he wasn't allowed to do the dismantling directly. Shiro made sure of that.

 

Lance just wanted to help, but he couldn't think of a specific way. He asked Shiro if he could be on the crew of the Atlas, to which Shiro enthusiastically responded. At least one paladin wanted to stay on board and be safe. He let Lance be the look out for Earth, and that was about it. Once Lance spotted something break Earth's atmosphere, Shiro gave a, "Good eye, Sharpshooter (Lance had not held a riffle in months)," and escorted Lance to his quarters. 

 

Lance figured if he worked hard enough on the Atlas, Shiro may have eventually given him a chance to fly Red again. That day never came. He would let him see Red, maybe even let him sit the cockpit once in a while. But never fly.

 

Pidge chose to stay in the Garrison on the ground. She couldn't stay in that prison any longer. Her mother stayed on the ground, as did her brother. And besides, now she could work on the new program she was writing that would allow her to override the locked hanger doors where their lions presided. As punishment for not staying on board, Shiro assured the deserters they would never see their lions unless they came back. 

 

Shiro's victory was bittersweet. His family was safe, and they would never have to be put in danger again. The only problem is they choose to leave him and the safety of the Atlas. Why? Why couldn't they see that he had their best interests at heart? He knew they would all eventually return to see their lions, he even still had one of them. 

 

Maybe he would even send Lance out, convince them that life on the Atlas is the best for all of them. But if he did that, Lance would realize what's outside. What life can be aside from this safety. Better to just let the rest of the Paladins come to him. 

 

Shiro's family was safe, and that's all that mattered to him.

**Author's Note:**

> I in no way think this will ever happen, it's just something. Sometimes you just have to write it out. Kudos and comments appreciated.


End file.
